Baby sign language classes teach 15 phrases at Petersburg and Maybee libraries
PETERSBURG – Seven-month-old Myla is learning to communicate with her mom, Layne Zimmerman.
At the Summerfield-Petersburg Branch Library, the mother and daughter are part of a group learning key words in baby sign language.
Sarah Seegert, youth services technician for Maybee and Petersburg branches, teaches the class over an eight-week period. The class incorporates books, music and toys with learning and playing.
Using a set of simple hand gestures and movements, babies (6-18 months old) are taught signs to correspond with words. Classes are scheduled every week for less than 30 minutes which is then followed by another class featuring story time.
Zimmerman said she visits the library a couple times a week to borrow books to read to her daughter. When she heard about the new class, she signed up to take it.
“It’s been fun,” Layne Zimmerman said. “We’ve learned signs for wait, now, more and all done.”
They practice at home during feeding time.
Seegert, a former special education teacher, took a required sign language course and knows the benefits of teaching it to her own children, Chloe, 9, and Levi, 6.
“I always enjoyed it. I thought it was a cool thing,” Seegert said. “As a kid, I learned it on my own, and I learned a whole lot more in my course work in college.”
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She said as part of her education, she was able to volunteer at a school for the deaf where she was able to use and improve her skills.
As a parent, Seegert used sign language with her daughter.
“She was a reluctant speaker,” Seegert said. “After an evaluation with her speech pathologist, I was encouraged to continue using sign language with her. She had a couple of signs that she consistently used as a baby. "
Research suggests possible benefits of baby sign language are that it increases babies' ability to communicate before they speak, helps babies talk sooner, reduces tantrums and frustration, contributes bonding with parents, and increases self-esteem.
“My goal is to introduce two words at each class,” she said. “We review what the word is and how it is signed, the shape of your hand.”
Signs include eat, drink, wait, now, more, all done, mom, dad, play, hurt, help, please, thank you, music and book.
She said parents should keep in mind, at 6 months, babies can start learning signs but they may not start using them until several months later.
Seegert is inspired by the response from the community and has had inquiries from other branches within the library system about offering the class at other locations.
“We’ve had a few families ask if this could be offered at a time that fits working parents’ schedules,” she said. “All of those are things we are considering.”
More information about baby sign language and other classes and events offered by the Monroe County Library System is available at mymcls.evanced.info/signup/calendar.
— Contact reporter Lisa Vidaurri-Bowling at lvidaurribowling@gannett.com.
This article originally appeared on The Monroe News: Petersburg, Maybee libraries offer baby sign language class
